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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22749628">Drought</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/zarahjoyce/pseuds/zarahjoyce'>zarahjoyce</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Elements of Goblin [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Korean Drama, 쓸쓸하고 찬란하神 - 도깨비 | Goblin (TV), 진심이 닿다 | Touch Your Heart (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Gen, Kim Shin as Yoo Shin Jae, The Mashup Saga continues</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 05:02:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>981</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22749628</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/zarahjoyce/pseuds/zarahjoyce</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jung Rok still remembered the first time the owner of Yeon Entertainment laid eyes on them inside the chicken feet restaurant. Yoo Shin Jae had paused in his step, his mouth dropping open - and then he'd <i>laughed,</i> taking both Jung Rok and Oh Jin Shim by surprise.</p><p>"Ah, look at this," he'd said, hands stuffed in his pockets as he walked right up to them. "The two of you, together again... Fate sure has a wicked sense of humor, doesn't she? Except--" He'd rubbed his chin. "--seems like I'm the only one laughing."</p><p>-</p><p>Or, Oh Yoon Seo brings Kwon Jung Rok to meet Yoo Shin Jae, and Things Turned Bad Really Quickly (oops).</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kwon Jung Rok/Oh Yoon Seo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Elements of Goblin [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1273769</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>48</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Drought</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A continuation of <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/21283541">Torrent</a>.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Don't be nervous," Oh Jin Shim had told him earlier, smiling in that way that he was so very fond of. <br/><br/>"I'm not," he'd replied, subtly straightening his shoulders and smiling right back at her. "I'm used to speaking with powerful men. Corporate people and company owners... I don't see how <em>he</em> can be any different."<br/><br/>"That's a relief, then," she'd said, twining her hand with his. "At least he won't think badly of you - and I don't want him to."<br/><br/>Except, apparently, just the <em>opposite </em>occurred. <br/><br/>Yoo Shin Jae sat before them now, arms crossed and staring right at Jung Rok like the latter had something stuck inside his nose and <em>visible</em>. He curbed the urge to check and instead looked right back at the man. <br/><br/>Jung Rok still remembered the first time the owner of Yeon Entertainment laid eyes on them inside the chicken feet restaurant. Yoo Shin Jae had paused in his step, his mouth dropping open - and then he'd <em>laughed</em>, taking both Jung Rok and Oh Jin Shim by surprise.<br/><br/>"Ah, look at this," he'd said, hands stuffed in his pockets as he walked right up to them. "The two of you, together again... Fate sure has a wicked sense of humor, doesn't she? Except--" He'd rubbed his chin. "--seems like I'm the only one laughing."<br/><br/>That had been more or less ten minutes ago.<br/><br/>And now--<br/><br/>"A <em>lawyer?</em>" Yoo Shin Jae asked, one eyebrow raised.<br/><br/>From his tone of voice, Jung Rok felt as though he'd <em>just </em>been personally insulted.<br/><br/>"A defense attorney," Oh Jin Shim clarified without missing a beat, glancing at Jung Rok before addressing the other and smiling. "Don't you know? He's the star of the <em>Always </em>Law Firm, the one I worked for to prepare for my role. Aren't you, Attorney Kwon?" She nudged him and smiled prettily.<br/><br/>"I don't really care much about being a star," Jung Rok said, resisting the urge to cross his arms and appear defensive. <em>"But</em> I've always had the highest winning percentage out of everyone ever since I joined our law firm - and that's an undeniable fact."<br/><br/>Jin Shim beamed at him. "He's really brilliant."<br/><br/>Jung Rok resisted the urge to kiss her, right then and there.<br/><br/>"Lawyers <em>are </em>a step or two higher than Grim Reapers in the order of things, I'd have to admit," Yoo Shin Jae commented, earning blank looks from the two. "Or maybe they're actually worse? Way, <em>way</em> worse?"<br/><br/>Jin Shim frowned. "Grim--"<br/><br/>"How many lawyers are there in your law firm?" Yoo Shin Jae asked blithely, looking so very <em>far </em>from impressed. "Two? Three?"<br/><br/>"Four," Jung Rok responded, inhaling deeply to keep calm. When put that way, though--<br/><br/>"Four," Yoo Shin Jae repeated, smiling. "Not a very impressive number to begin with, is it?" <br/><br/>Jung Rok barely managed to curl his lip at him.<br/><br/>"<em>Please </em>don't be like that," Jin Shim implored, openly frowning now. "Some law firms are small to begin with and, well, size doesn't matter anyway!" She pouted.<br/><br/>Yoo Shin Jae looked at her and - surprisingly enough, actually straightened himself. "Sorry, sorry," he said, shaking his head slightly. "It's just he-- reminded me of someone--"<br/><br/>"Like I did?" Jin Shim cut in, making Jung Rok glance at her, puzzled.<br/><br/>Yoo Shin Jae paused for some pregnant moments, just studying her. "Yes," he replied quietly, revealing a wealth of meaning in such a short response. <br/><br/>Jin Shim leaned closer to Jung Rok and whispered, "He told me I look like his sister whom he misses <em>so</em> much."<br/><br/>Jung Rok nodded. "And... you believed him?"<br/><br/>She looked taken aback for a moment. "W-Well--"<br/><br/>"Having lived a long life... suppose that can make anyone see familiar faces every now and then, even when strangers are the ones wearing them." Yoo Shin Jae appeared quite troubled as he reached for his beer and drank from it deeply.<br/><br/>Jung Rok frowned. That thought was all well and good except-- "You don't seem <em>that </em>old to me."<br/><br/>Yoo Shin Jae snorted out his drink and coughed violently, making Jin Shim reach for napkins to hand to him. <em>"--what?"</em><br/><br/>"That sentimentality is usually found in people well into their twilight years," Jung Rok commented, now crossing his arms. "You are... five or six years older than I am, perhaps? That means nostalgia--"<br/><br/><em>"Ya!"</em> Jin Shim cut in, nudging him again. <br/><br/>"Sorry," Jung Rok said, bowing slightly to her. "I'm just pointing out how odd it was for someone of his age to be overtly emotional, especially in front of someone he'd just met." <br/><br/><em>Me,</em> he'd meant.<br/><br/>"E-Emotional?" Yoo Shin Jae repeated incredulously. "Me? Emotional? <em>Ha!"</em><br/><br/>"He didn't mean it!" Oh Jin Shim shrieked, pinching Jung Rok's knee in retaliation - making him jerk upwards. "He just... um... has this way of saying things like he's insulting you but really, he's not. Right? Attorney Kwon?" She pinched his knee again.   <br/><br/><em>"Yes!"</em> Jung Rok said, rubbing the injured skin and grimacing. "I mean-- yes. People say I do have that <em>quality</em> about me, though I'd argue it's more of their fault for misinterpreting my intentions. Please be assured that if I wanted to insult you, you would know it clearly and immediately." He bowed again - this time, in front of Yoo Shin Jae - all for Oh Jin Shim's benefit.<br/><br/>Except, instead of being placated, the owner of Yeon Entertainment looked even more <em>indignant</em>. "Ah, so <em>now </em>you're implying that I'm... what, overtly <em>sensitive?"<br/><br/></em>Jung Rok blinked. "That is not at all what I said."<br/><br/>"But you implied it!" Yoo Shin Jae insisted. "You did!"<br/><br/><em>"Again,</em> your faulty interpretation of my words is well beyond my control. As such--"<br/><br/>"Faulty? <em>F-Faulty?"</em><br/><br/>Jin Shim's face crumbled and she buried her face in her hands.<br/><br/><em>At least he won't think badly of you, </em>she'd hoped earlier.<br/><br/>Well.<br/><br/><em>Well.</em><br/><br/>Suppose <em>this </em>was one conversation Kwon Jung Rok could <em>never </em>win, then.</p>
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